Adventures in Knitting, Photography and in Life

Pints & Purls Edition 4: Something a Little Different

Today’s Pints & Purls Edition is something a little different! My friend Vanessa, who blogs over at Mixed Martial Arts & Crafts, is guest blogging for me and covering one of her favorite beverages – coffee!

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Brew: Gevalia Kaffe ground espresso roast

Brewer: Me, Vanessa from Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts. I drink this espresso with warmed up vanilla almond milk. I don’t bother frothing it, so it’s more of a cafe au lait than a latte. In Spanish, we call this a cafe con leche or coffee with milk.

Aroma: Out of the bag, it’s a very rich smelling coffee with a hint of nuttiness.

Taste notes: On its own, the espresso is creamy. If you brew it right, there should be an upper layer of foam called “the crema,” it’s similar to the head on a well poured beer. You don’t want too much crema nor do you want too little. It gives the coffee a smoother flavor if it’s done right.

Since I take my coffee with flavored almond milk, there’s a slight almond and vanilla flavor to the espresso. However, it pairs well with the bolder flavor of the coffee. There’s also a mild vanilla scent to the coffee itself making it taste slightly sweeter without having to add more sugar.

Yarn pairing: Candy Skein’s cafe au lait yarn comes closest to matching the color of how I like my cafe, two shots of espresso and a half cup of milk. And two raw sugars, of course.

Pattern pairing: Since two shots of espresso packs quite the caffeinated punch, you’ll be feeling energized. However, I think a good cafe should be savored. For that reason, I suggest that you pull out that complicated and heirloom quality project while sipping your latte.

Let me know how you feel about this series! If you’d like to see more of a variety of beverages, suggestions for features or if you’d like to guest post, feel free to contact me!